Atomizer



May 19, 1942. J. B. scHMn-T ETAL ATOMIZER Filed April. 27,. 1940 Patented May 19, 1942 f ATOMIZER Joy B. Schmitt and Fred Custer, Toledo, Ohio,

assignors to The DeVilbiss Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio f Application April 27, 1940, serial No. 331,938

Y claims. (c1. 299-88) The present invention relates to atomizers for spraying toilet liquids, medicinal preparations and the like. Those in general use employcompressed air from a hand operated rubber bulb to expel and atomize the liquid being applied. For traveling purposes it is desirable to have a closure on an atomizer to prevent leakage.

Because of the oily character of many of the liquids involved, considerable diiculty has been encountered in securing effective closing means. As the atomizers themselves are small the manual gripping area on the valves is limited. A strong spring that would hold the valve tightly against its seat might cause too much resistance for easy manipulation of the valve.

The comment is often heard that atomizers are unwieldy and awkward to put on a shelf or in a traveling case due to extended nozzles and dangling rubber bulbs.

One object of the invention is to produce an atomizer that is compact but at the same time.'

having an elongated nozzle suitable for properly treating the mouth and throat. A further object is thev provision of an eiective closure that is easy to operate. An additional object is the provision of means for removing liquid from the liquid discharge passages after the atomizer has been used. A further object is the creation of an atomizer that is well balanced and attractive in appearance and convenient to use. Another important object of my invention is an atomizer that is inexpensive to manufacture and one that has few parts to get out of order. 'Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numbers are employed to designate like parts throughout the same: Y i

Figure 1Y is aside elevation of an atomizer embodying our invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view,

Figure 3 is a rear elevation, y

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the upper portion of the atomizer taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, with a portion of the valve shown in full,

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the upper portion of the atomizer taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the main body of the atomizer showing some of the internal passages in dotted lines, and with the parts ar ranged in operative position and,

Figure'? is another top plan view of the main body of the atomizer with some of the internal passages shown in dotted lines and with the parts arranged in clean-out position.

VThe atomizer illustrated in the drawing comprises a bottle or similar receptacle I with a ferrule 2 cemented or otherwise securely fastened to the bottle neck. A "mainhead piece 3 is threadedly connected to the ferrule 2, while a valve member 4 carrying a lead `washer 5 is rotatably mounted on the main head piece 3. Air

- and liquid discharge tubes 6 and 1, respectively,

project togetherl from the valve member 4 and terminate in the spray tip 8. 'The liquid outlet tube '9 extends downinto the bottle and is connected by means of nipple IIJ to passage I I in the lower part I2 of the valve member 4. Whenv the atomizer is in the operative position the liquid flows from the passage II into annular passage I3, thru liquid passage I4 in the main head piece 3, and thence thru passagel I5 in member 4 to the liquid discharge tube l.

Air for operation of the atomizer is obtained thru manual compression of the bulb I6 whence air travels thru the nipple II into air passage I8 in main head piece 3 which connects with air passage I9 in valve memberV 4 which in turn communicates with air discharge tube 6. n

A passage 20 in valve member 4 connects with a similar passage 2| in main head piece 3.. 'I'he 'passages 20 and 2I act jointly as an atmospheric vent when the Yatomizer is in operative position. A spring 22 and washer 23 yieldingly hold the wvalve member 4 against the main head piece 3.

The spring 22 is compressed and exerts pressure Vagainst nipple I0 and the head piece 3.

When it is desired to use the atomizer the valve member 4 is manually turned by means of Vthe nozzle so that the dischargetubes 6 and 1 are in the position shown in Figures l and 2. When the outlet tubes are so arranged the air Ypassages from bulb I6 to the air tube 6 are open pheric pressure is maintained within the bottle thru the vent passages 20and 2I. f

After the atomizer is used and it is desire to put it away, the valve 4 is turned so that the tubes are in the clean-out position shown in Figures 3 and 7 and in dotted lines in Figure 2. A marking such as Clean out as shown in Figure 3 may -be used to indicate the point to which valve member 4 should be turned in respeot to head piece 3. In this position the liquid passage I5 in valve member 4 communicates at its lower extremity with air passage I8 in main head piece 3. On compression of the bulb I6 air Will be forced therefrom thru the air nipple Il thru air passage I8 and thence into and thru the liquid passage l5, liquid tube 1 and spray tip 8. In this way is expelled any liquid left in the liquid passage I5, liquid tube 1, and spray tip 8 after the atomizer is used. 'Ihis air cleaning of the liquid passages removes any liquid that might later drain therefrom to stain or otherwise injure the lining and other contents of the hand bag or other conveyance means.

and close the liquid container and an elongated nozzle extending radially from 'and rigidly connected to the valve means whereby the valve may be turned from open to closed position by manually swinging the nozzle in a horizontal arc.

3. An atomizer comprising a liquidcontainer, a manually operated air supply means, a spray discharge orifice, a liquid passage from the container 'to thespray orifice, an air passage from the air supply means to the spray orice, and a rotatable valve member intercepting the liquid and air passages and having corresponding passages, said valve having an open position in which the passages through the valve are in line with the liquid and air passages on both sides of the valve; a closed position in which the passages Following this cleaning out operation the valve Y member 4 is turned further so that the discharge tubes are in closed position immediately above bulb I6. This position is shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The air, liquid, and vent passages of the main head piece 3 are out of register with the corresponding passages in valve member 4 when the valve 4 is in this location. With the discharge tube so arranged above the bulb the atomizer is much more compact than when in operative position.

The softlead vwasher 5 forming the contacting surface between valve member 4 and head piece 3 is held tightly against the head piece 3 by they force of spring 22. Atight seal is thus obtained. A springvof substantial strength may be used as considerable leverage to overcome the resistance caused by the spring tension is secured for turning the valve by moving it manually by means of the outer end portions of discharge tubes 6 and'l.

We wish it understood that our invention has 4 been disclosed herein by way of example onlyV and that numerous modifications and changes therein may be devised without departing from through the valve do not communicate with the passages on either side of the valve and a third position in which the portion of the air passage extending from the air supply to the valve communicates through a passage in thevalve with the portion of` the liquid passage extending from the valve tothe spray orifice.

4. An atomizer comprising a liquid container,

Vair supply means, a spray orifice,` a liquid passage from the container to the spray oriiice, an air passage from the air supply means to the spray orifice and valve means for temporarily by-pass ing air from the airpassage into the liquid passage at a point between the liquid container and theY s pray orifice and thence through the outer section of the liquid passage to the spray orice .A piece with liquid and air'passages therethru enwhen the nozzle is positioned above the air com` pression means and on the same side of the container, and being open when the nozzle is turned to remove from the passage any remnants of liquid Vleft there lafter the atomizer has been used which might later cause damage by leaking 'Y from the spray orifice, said valve means for bypassing air into the liquid passage also serving to simultaneously close the outer ,section of the liquid passage from communication with the liquid container. f

5. In an atomizer, a liquid container, a head gaging. the top of the'container, `anair compression bulb fastened to the head piece for supplying atomizing air to the air passageftherein, a valve member with `liquid and airlpassages rotatably mounted on the upper side of the head piece for controlling the ow of. liquid from the liquid con- I rod-like Vportion of the valve member and com- Y municating with the liquid passage therein.

:,JOY B. SCHMITT.

FRED CUSTER. 

